The bhaergala first appeared in the first edition in Dragon #94 (February 1985), contributed by Ed Greenwood for the "Creature Catalog II" feature.[1]

The bhaergala appeared for the second edition for the Forgotten Realms setting in the Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (1989),[2] with a brief entry in the Monstrous Manual (1993) under the "mammal" section.[3]

A bhaergala resembles a cross between a lion and a wolf, and is unbelievably agile. It is an evil creature that exists only to kill. Though it does this for food, its main motivation for killing is music. It is obsessed with sounds and melodies, and goes to whatever lengths to obtain the instruments which produce it. It attacks victims by jumping on them from a great height (they can survive falls of up to 60 feet) and savaging them. It then both eats them, and takes any musical instruments which they might have. Many a bhaergala lair in the deep jungle will be lavished with instruments and noisemakers. Bhaergalas also have the ability to deflect spells, and to regenerate. They can be lulled into immobilization, or even persuaded to become an ally, by a talented musician.

Bhaergalas, being experts on sound and music, are capable of speaking Common. A few learn to speak other languages.